Public Transport: Crimes of Violence
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on trends in the level of incidents of (a) violence and (b) abuse towards public transport workers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood
The British Transport Police are responsible for policing the railway in England, Scotland and Wales and they record the number of incidents of violence and abuse against rail workers. Analysis by the Department of Violence Against the Person offences shows in 2022/23 there were 5.1 violence against person offences per 1 million passenger journeys of which 1.3 were against staff, in 2024/25 this proportion of staff was 1.4.
The Department does not hold data for other modes of transport.
We are committed to ensuring that public transport is safe for passengers and staff. There is no place for abuse or violence against any worker, and we are supporting industry to develop practical interventions to keep workers safe.
We must also ensure that when staff are victims of crime they are supported through the reporting and investigation process. The Department’s analysis also showed 1 in 4 investigations are discontinued because of the victim declining or withdrawing support for a prosecution and we are undertaking further work with rail industry to understand why this is the case.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →